Parakeet Auklet
Aethia psittacula
Dumpy, medium-sized alcid with a bright orange bill. Pale button eye and upturned gape give it a distinctly maniacal, smiling appearance. Blackish above and white below, with a long white “whisker” extending down from behind the eye in breeding season; in wintering birds, white extends up onto the throat. Clean white belly distinguishes this species from other similar auklets. Least Auklet has a similar color scheme but is half the size, has white cheeks in non-breeding plumage, and has white-mottled upperparts when breeding. Parakeet Auklet breeds on offshore island colonies, often with other auklet species; it winters offshore.
Identification
The parakeet auklet is a small (23 cm) auk with a short orange bill that is upturned to give the bird its curious fixed expression. The upward bend of the beak has been observed to provide advantages in picking up small food pieces from the sea bottom as well as in assisting in the disintegration of larger food objects. The bird's plumage is dark above and white below. with a single white plume projecting back from the eye. There is a small amount of variation between breeding and winter plumage.<p>The parakeet auklet is a highly vocal species at the nest, calling once it arrives at the nest and then duetting once its mate arrives. It makes a series of rhythmic hoarse calls (like that of the Cassin's auklet) and a quavering squeal. The function of these are unknown, but could be associated with defending its burrow from intruders and strengthening the bond with its mate.
Taxonomy
The Parakeet Auklet was formerly included in the genus Cyclorrhynchus, avians with a nearly circular profile of the bill. But following recent phylogenetic study, this species could be closer to the Crested Auklet, Least Auklet and Whiskered Auklet.[citation needed]
- Scientific name
- Aethia psittacula
- Authority
- (Pallas, 1769)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Alcidae
- Genus
- Aethia
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL, NA : nw to ne North Pacific coasts: patchily from e Chukotka, ne Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Bering Sea is., Aleutian Is., and Gulf of Alaska
- Non-breeding range
- pelagic in North Pacific, reaching n Sea of Japan and w British Columbia (sw Canada)
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
The parakeet auklet is not considered threatened, there are estimated to be over a million individuals in the North Pacific. It is not thought to have declined recently, but may be threatened in the future by introduced predators and oil spills.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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